Haryana forwards two irrigation schemes to Centre

Chandigarh, Jan 13 (UNI) The Haryana Government has forwarded two schemes, Siwani Canal Command Project and Loharu Canal Command Project costing Rs 405.97 crore to the Union Ministry of Water Resources for approval.

This was revealed by the Irrigation Minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav while presiding over the meeting of Command Area Development Authority (CADA) here today.

Capt Yadav said that Command Area Development Authority had envisaged two schemes Siwani Canal Command Project costing Rs 227.16 crore and Loharu Canal Command Project costing Rs 178.81 crore and both had been forwarded to the Central Government.

The Minister said that Haryana Government would incur a sum of Rs 60.40 crore during the current financial year for implementing various schemes of CADA in the state and out of this a sum of Rs 36.49 crore had already been incurred so far. He said that Bhakhra Canal Command, Western Jamuna Canal (WJC) Phase-IV and WJC phase-VI would be undertaken during the current financial year.

Capt Yadav directed the authorities that a Division of CADA be shifted from Hisar to Narnual immediately so that canal repair work in Mohindergarh and Rewari districts does not suffer more. He also directed them that the amount earmarked under the scheme especially for the Mohindergarh and Rewari districts should be properly utilized before March 31 so that farmers could get maximum benefit.

The Minister said that a sum of Rs one crore had been earmarked for brick lining the watercourses in Mohindergarh district during the current financial year. He said that a review meeting of the CADA officers would be held on the last Tuesday of every month for monitoring the progress of the ongoing works.

He said that a physical target of 28.63 lakh running feet had been fixed under the lining of watercourses in the state during the current financial year and as many as 17.54 lakh running feet length of watercourses had already been brick lined so far. He said that CADA had also taken new initiatives to re-invent itself as the "Water Conservation Agency" of the state and efforts were being made for tapping drainage of field-run-off water for the purpose of ground water recharge of dugwells, borewells and by recharge shafts.

The Minister said that CADA was making consistent efforts to plan and implement scientific and integrated management of land and water resources in the state. He said that Command Area Development Programme had given a considerable fillip to the foodgrain production besides better water management had been introduced at the field level through participatory irrigation management.

Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Irrigation Department, Mr R N Prasar apprised the Minister about the ongoing schemes and assured that efforts would be made to complete the works assigned to CADA well in time.